3 Mental Models of "Systems Thinking"

A One-Page Introduction to Socio-Cultural Systems Thinking & Methodology 

3 Mental Models Used to Design & Operate Organizations:

The Mechanistic Model (circa 1860 to circa 1930)

Organizations are machines and serve the will of the boss.

Parts must be maximized for efficiency and output and, when they malfunction, are simply replaceable. People as part of the organization, are simply mindless parts who must do the task given them.

Famous quote: “Why is it every time I ask for a pair of hands, they come with a brain attached?” –Henry Ford

The Biological Model (circa 1930 to current)

Organizations are really like organisms (much of corporate language today reflects this thinking) and the brain is integrated into the organism rather than sitting outside it like a machine.

The “brain” decides but the “parts” can only provide valuable feedback. The “whole” (leadership) has a choice but the “parts” (workers) do not.

Primary goal of biological organization is to grow and survive.

Common language: “Who’s the brains of your firm?” “What arm of the company do you work for?” “Don’t ask me, I’m just the hired hand.”

Sloan’s Divisional Structure dominates biologically focused organizations. Biological models create paternalistic cultures.

The Socio-Cultural Model (currently emerging paradigm of thought)

People are not simply mindless parts but instead display choice of both the ends they pursue and the means with which they pursue those ends.

Socio-cultural systems appreciate that people do not deposit their minds at the company doorstep, making all organizations made up of people multi-minded.

Primary goals of social systems are development and effective integration & differentiation.

Appreciates all five of the dimensions of social systems: power – the ability to choose; beauty – the sense of wonder and excitement; knowledge – the desire to learn and develop; values – the ability to utilize conflict to create win/win; and wealth – the ability to effectively acquire and distribute resources.

Socio-cultural system design and thinking requires a very distinct set of methodologies and operating principles than either mechanical or biological models. A few key distinctions:

You cannot predict-and-prepare for the future, but you can create it.

Synthesis – understanding the containing environment and why people do what they do, is a precursor to any type of analysis.

Understanding the interacting set of problems you face is a critical step in dissolving them.

Utilizing “blank sheet design” – what you’d have if you could have what you wanted – creates the space to begin iterating towards what you want, rather than away from what you don’t.

Failure is viewed not as an undesirable deviation but as critical to learning and iterating towards a preferred future. Failure is OK, not learning is not OK.

See: Systems Thinking: Managing Chaos and Complexity by Jamshid Gharajedaghi.